GBFE 2020 – Partners

Fleet World Great British Fleet Awards

The Fleet World Great British Fleet Awards took place on Thursday, 30 January 2020 at Novotel London West in Hammersmith, comprising Masterclass Conferences and a fleet-focused exhibition before leading into the prestigious awards event.

The Fleet World Great British Fleet Awards celebrate the best of corporate mobility in the UK, and were presented in front of an audience of business leaders, fleet managers, motor manufacturers and industry executives.

SUPPLIER AWARDS

FLEET MANAGER AWARDS

CAR AWARDS

VAN AWARDS

Supplier Awards

Innovation in Green Travel

WINNER: sgfleet

[ HIGHLY COMMENDED: UBEEQO, E-CAR ]

Presented to Chris Salmon (sgfleet) and Carl Pittam (Ubeeqo) by Steve Ratcliffe, of Geotab, sponsor of the Great British Fleet Event.

SG Fleet’s eStart is an end-to-end planning solution. It is designed to help companies make the move towards a zero-emission fleet. It works by assessing a company’s goals, conducts vehicle reviews, inspects sites and finally determines infrastructure upgrades and the installation of charging points, and has been developed in partnership with industry bodies, suppliers and manufacturers.

Innovation in Technology

WINNER: VisionTrack

[ HIGHLY COMMENDED: Jaama ]

Presented to Simon Marsh (VisionTrack) and Richard Evans (Jaama) by Scott Edy, of Virta.

A leading video telematics and computer vision company, Vision Track has an innovative self-designed device platform called Autonomise.ai that allows fleets using telematics to add video to their offering. It acts as a gateway platform, seamlessly integrating into other systems, offering a single visual overview and indisputable evidence following an accident, thus disproving fraudulent and exaggerated claims. This technology is getting results too, with one fleet insurer seeing a 24% reduction in the frequency of claims and a 34% decrease in claims cost. Claims are also settled faster, taking around one week compared to the three-week average.

Innovation in Cost Reduction

WINNER: Smart Fleet Solutions

[ HIGHLY COMMENDED: Free2Move Lease ]

Presented to Theo Kortland (Smart Fleet Solutions) and Gerald McCaffrey (Free2Move Lease) by Nickie Hunt-Mason, of Trakm8, sponsor of the Great British Fleet Event.

At the forefront of the refurbishment industry, Smart Fleet Solutions has enhanced cost and time efficiencies by introducing an end-to-end vehicle monitoring system and automated workshop loading and logistics application. Deployed with technicians via handheld technology, it monitors all aspects of repairs in real time. As a result, customers are saving an average of 2.5 days on each vehicle, reducing the downtime and reducing processing times across the business by 30%.

Innovation in Customer Service

WINNER: The Automobile Association

[ HIGHLY COMMENDED: Zenith ]

Presented to Kirsty Pendleton (The Automobile Association) and Anna Hobb (Zenith), by Peter McDonald, of Nissan, sponsor of the Great British Fleet Event.

Despite 80 years’ experience, The Automobile Association, or AA has not stood still and instead continues to innovate. Among these innovations is a nationwide, 24/7, SMR programme following the acquisition of Prestige Vehicle Servicing. Recall and Campaign Technicians, who work with several manufacturers and dealers, develop a unique and complementary service to support the existing infrastructure. Rescue Tracker provides increased reassurance to fleet managers and their drivers stuck at the side of the road with live tracking via SMS, which shows how long it will take for a patrol to arrive.

Innovation in Mobility

WINNER: Fleetondemand

[ HIGHLY COMMENDED: Allstar ]

Presented to Matt Terry (Fleetondemand) and Ian Rose (Allstar) by John Clifford, of Innogy.

Mobilleo is Fleetondemand’s Mobility As A Service (MAAS) platform and allows users to book all forms of business travel in one place, including flights, trains, trams, taxis, car hire, car clubs, bikes, hotels, airport lounges and more. Designed from the ground up to address business mobility needs on a global basis, the Mobilleo platform has been developed using the latest technology, to create an expansive MAAS product that can be downloaded for free on iOS, Android and desktop platforms.

Innovation in Remarketing

WINNER: ADESA

[ HIGHLY COMMENDED: Aston Barclay ]

Presented to Jonathan Holland (ADESA) and Richard Cross (Aston Barclay) by Neville Dickson, of Selsia.

ADESA’s dedicated online UPSTREAM platform provides fleets, leasing companies, finance providers and carmakers with an innovative area for their remarketing needs. It works by putting de-fleeted vehicles online 24/7, so that trade buyers can view and buy, immediately. Another ADESA innovation is the Intelligent Vehicle Inspection (IVI); a useful fleet tool that marks the company’s first deployment of AI in the UK, and works by empowering drivers to do their own end-of-contract inspection via smartphone or tablet.

Innovation in Risk Management

WINNER: DAVIS

[ HIGHLY COMMENDED: eDriving ]

Presented to Joe Meakin (DAVIS) and Nick List (eDriving) by Chris Willocks, of Brake.

Many businesses these days rely on the grey fleet without addressing basic duty of care obligations, leaving them open to serious fines or prosecution. The DAVIS software solution could be the answer, as it provides driving licence checks, plus insurance and vehicle compliance checks. DAVIS’s grey fleet customer base has experienced exponential growth in 2019, with 150% more checks being carried out compared to 2018.

Innovation in SMR

WINNER: ARI

[ HIGHLY COMMENDED: Fleet Service GB ]

Presented to Jason Chamberlain at ARI by Martyn Collins and Sarah Clifford at Fleet Service GB by Jonathan Musk.

ARI’s transparent pricing policy give clients a clear idea of whole-life costs, enabling them to focus on actual spend and reduce total cost of ownership. Its latest development is pay-as-you-go maintenance, and with a proactive approach to SMR, it’s able to challenge the supply chain on cost and efficiency, as well as managing claims for unscheduled repairs and negotiating warranty issues. As such, a three-year trial with Siemens delivered a 65.8% saving in year one and a 33.8% reduction overall. Other innovations include the development of the Insights Platform for clients and a Driver App where customers can report defects or book servicing.

Innovation in Telematics

WINNER: Trakm8

[ HIGHLY COMMENDED: Airmax Remote ]

Presented to Nickie Hunt-Mason (TrakM8) and Richard Perham (Airmax Remote).

Trakm8 is a UK-based technology leader in telematics and the UK’s largest manufacturer of telematics devices. A perfect example of its telematics in action has been its work with Altrad Services UK, the UK’s largest industrial maintenance provider. The deal saw Trakm8 provide them with an innovative package, including Trakm8 Insight telematics, Trakm8 EcoN driver behaviour scoring, and Trakm8 Connectedcare vehicle health alerts. The results speak for themselves, as Altrad Services UK is our 2020 Operational Fleet Superstar winner.

Fleet Manager Awards

Financial Superstar

WINNER: Brecon Beacons National Park Authority

Presented to Kevin Booker of the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, by Tony Greenidge, of IAM RoadSmart, partner of the Great British Fleet Event.

Budgets are tight these days for local authorities, but Brecon Beacons National Park Authority – a small, special purpose Local Authority, covering an area of 520 square miles – has found an innovative way to leverage cost savings throughout the organisation by electrifying its fleet. Electric vehicles have also proved to be more reliable, reducing downtime and accruing more savings. The Local Authority is now working on the second phase of electric vehicle deployment, with a quarter of its fleet (and almost two-thirds of the pool car fleet) being plug-ins, most fully electric.

Operational Fleet Superstar

WINNER: Altrad Services UK

Presented to Matthew Hammond of Altrad Services UK, by Richard Perham, of Airmax Remote, partner of the Great British Fleet Event.

Altrad Services UK is the UK’s largest industrial maintenance provider. Matthew Hammond, Head of Fleet, is responsible for more than 2,000 drivers and a fleet of 1,250 vehicles. Over the past three years, he’s made impressive savings across key metrics including costs, emissions and safety. These have included reducing the total fleet mileage by 1.5 million miles, more than halving the company’s accident rate, increasing driver scores from 68% to 97% by monitoring drivers and providing training where required. And finally managing to save £20,000 per annum on breakdowns and repairs.

Fleet HR Superstar

WINNER: J M Hall Couriers Ltd

Presented to Mark Cartwright on behalf of J M Hall Couriers, by Theo Kortland, of Smart Fleet Solutions, partner of the Great British Fleet Event.

Founded in 2011 by James Hall with a single van, the company is now one of Amazon’s largest Delivery Service Providers, with up to 700 vans at peak. Aware of the public perception of ‘white van man’, Hall has tried to improve this, along with wife and co-director Rebecca, by working hard on the safety, personal development and wellbeing of the firm’s staff. All drivers must pass a pre-use check app to confirm they are safe to drive, and the business has set up a school of excellence to train drivers. This has resulted in reducing driver churn to 26%, compared to an average of 90% in this sector.

Fleet MAnagement Superstar

WINNER: East of England Co-op

Presented to Neil Renaut, (East of England Co-Op) by Adam Naylor, of Northgate, partner of the Great British Fleet Event.

This business provides stores and services to towns and villages across 2,000 square miles in four counties – Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire. The East Of England Co-Op has over 580 drivers in the business, from HGV drivers, through funeral/hearse fleet, home delivery vans and company car drivers, who use a mix of owned and grey fleet vehicles. With the help of AA DriveTech, it’s worked to educate them with road skills and driver training, to keep them moving safely and efficiently, despite a fair share of rural challenges. The business has seen many benefits as a result, but the biggest improvement has come from a 32% reduction in accidents and claims between 2013 and 2017.

Eco Superstar

WINNER: Milk & More

Presented to Mark Chapman and Gary Evans (Milk & More) by Geraint Isaac, of MG Motors, partner of the Great British Fleet Event.

Since 2018, home delivery supplier Milk and More has been going back to its electric roots by investing in over 350 fully electric vehicles, and it plans to adopt more as the technology progresses. The journey began back in May 2018, when it introduced 200 zero-emission, electric StreetScooter milk floats to its fleet. In addition, from June to October 2019, it’s added 159, all-electric LDV vans carry out larger rounds. By 2025, Milk & More’s ambition is for 90% of its fleet to be fully electric, eventually reaching 100%.

Car Awards

Best Fleet Supermini

WINNER: Renault Clio

Presented to Mark Dickens from Renault.

Latest Clio gets our attention with its stylish looks, plus the premium feel to the cabin. There’s new sophistication in the way this Renault drives too, with added insulation making for a refined drive. Efficient engine choices complete the package, with an incoming hybrid version to look forward to. All of this adds up to a supermini, that has plenty of end-user fleet appeal.

Best Lower Medium Fleet Car

WINNER: BMW 1 Series

Presented to Amanda Hook-Brown from BMW.

It is all change for the 1 Series, but the move to front-wheel drive for BMW’s third-generation hatch equals a bigger, more practical interior. Another strength is the new model’s connectivity, thanks to its ‘Live Cockpit Plus’, with an 8.8-inch touchscreen fitted as standard. Great to drive and impressively refined, the efficient and willing petrol engines are the finishing touch on this BMW class leader.

Best Upper Medium Fleet Car

WINNER: Škoda Superb

Presented to Matt Hattersley from Škoda.

Face-lifting models is always a bit risky, but last year’s light update has strengthened the Superb’s hold on this sector. Styling tweaks keep it looking sharp, plus the interior remains classy and now boasts the latest tech. Add fleet-friendly plug-in hybrid versions to the already large choice of diesel and petrol engines, and it’s no surprise it’s still our favourite.

Best Fleet Compact Executive Car

WINNER: BMW 3 Series

Presented to Brian Cox from BMW.

The latest 3 Series offers more interior space, Saloon or Touring estate versions, a cost-efficient choice of petrol, diesel, plus even plug-in hybrid power, generous equipment, the latest tech and a keen drive. It really is hard to find fault with BMW’s compact executive, and it is deservedly our class favourite.

Best Fleet Executive Car

WINNER: Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Presented to Calum James from Mercedes-Benz.

With the scaled-down S-Class styling that still looks sharp, backed up by technology from the luxury range-topper, it’s no surprise that the E-Class is our executive car favourite. And Mercedes continues to innovate; besides the top-drawer cabin and the choice of saloon and estate bodies, the E-Class is available with fuel-saving, plug-in options.

Best Fleet Luxury Car

WINNER: Audi A8

The A8 is up against some strong competition in this class from BMW’s recently renewed 7 Series and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. However, what swings the award in this Audi’s favour, is the 60 TFSIe plug-in hybrid version. There’s a scarcely believable 450hp on tap, yet the high levels of refinement and comfort remain unchanged, plus it’s capable of travelling up to 29 miles on electric power alone, making it a great business tool.

Best Fleet Small SUV

WINNER: Škoda Kamiq

Presented to Matt Hattersley from Škoda.

The Kamiq’s sharp looks hide an interior that is comfortable, high-quality, well-equipped and spacious – helped by having the longest wheelbase in its class. Great to drive, this baby Škoda SUV’s efficient diesel and petrol engines offer the low running costs that are so important to fleet these days.

Best Fleet Medium SUV

WINNER: Range Rover Evoque

Presented to Chris Behn from Jaguar Land Rover.

The Evoque is back in second-generation form, boasting proper Range Rover refinement, a revised and more luxurious interior and lots of clever tech. A comprehensive selection of engines, many with mild-hybrid technology, plus the fact that the D150 two-wheel drive version is already RDE2-emission compliant, equates to lower running costs for fleets.

Best Fleet Large SUV

WINNER: SEAT Tarraco

Presented to Sam Hothi from SEAT.

Tarraco is important for SEAT, as it’s the third member of the carmaker’s popular SUV family. The range-topping model features upmarket styling and premium materials, plus impressive stowage, interior space and flexibility to carry up to seven. The large choice of trims, engines and two or four-wheel drive versions will suit the cost-conscious fleet buyer.

Best Green Fleet Car

WINNER: Renault Zoe

Presented to Mark Dickens from Renault, by Matt Dale, of ALD Automotive.

Overhauled for 2020, the Zoe is our favourite green fleet car. Under the curvy bodywork, this electric Renault now gets a more powerful 52kWh battery, delivering up to 245 miles’ range on the WLTP cycle, for the most powerful 110kW version. New Zoe is also easier to charge, plus is comfortable, practical and fun to drive.

Fleet Technology Award

WINNER: Hyundai

Presented to Tim White from Hyundai.

Hyundai is future proofing its range, now offering hybrid, plug-in, electric and even hydrogen fuel cell-powered models for sale. Spearheading Hyundai’s hydrogen future, the Nexo fuel-cell is easy to drive and genuinely efficient, with a 414-mile range and zero emissions.

Fleet Rising Star

WINNER: Volvo

Presented to Steve Beattie from Volvo, by James Dewhurst, of Webfleet Solutions.

Volvo is a brand that’s gone through huge adjustment, in terms of product and becoming more premium. Its fleet team, under Steve Beattie, is not immune to change either. Recent innovations including team revisions to enable staff to spend more time with fleet. This has all resulted in Volvo’s true fleet sales figures of 17,035 for 2019, an increase of 20% on 2018.

Fleet Manufacturer of the Year

WINNER: BMW

Presented to Rob East from BMW by Jonathan Holland, of ADESA.

Under recently appointed general manager of corporate sales Rob East, BMW is a changed brand. To up the ante, East and the team have implemented changes to bring sustainable channel management to the company. They’ve also aligned the BMW and MINI brands to complement, rather than compete against each other, all working together to make buying a BMW easier.

Best New Fleet Car

WINNER: BMW 3 Series

Presented to Brian Cox from BMW by Phil Daniel of Admedia.

The 3 Series is BMW’s best-selling model and a mainstay for fleets. So, replacing it was not easy to do and took many years of development. At Fleet World, we’re big fans of the latest model launched just over a year ago, as it’s such a complete all-rounder, offering more interior space, impressive tech, combined with efficient engines to keep costs down.

Van Awards

Small Van of the Year

WINNER: Ford Transit Courier

Presented to Neil Wilson, head of fleet, Ford UK.

It is true that the small van sector has been shrinking, but these vans continues to provide the ideal solution for many urban LCV users. A 2.3m3 load volume and 600kg payload make the Transit Courier a decent working van, with a cab that delivers plenty of comfort and technology to assist drivers.

Compact High-Cube Van of the Year

WINNER: Citroën Berlingo / Peugeot Partner / Vauxhall Combo

Presented to Richard Hughes at Vauxhall, Simon Broome at Citroën and Matthew Weston at Peugeot.

Last year’s winning trio continue to impress, offering a broad range of bodies and carrying capacities in this critical sector of the LCV market. Few competitors can compete with the vast array of safety and driver assistance systems on offer from Berlingo, Partner and Combo.

Medium Van of the Year

WINNER: Renault Trafic / Nissan NV300 / Fiat Professional Talento

Presented to Mark Dickens (Renault), Peter MacDonald (Nissan) and Richard Chamberlain (FCA) Ian Webber, of Admedia.

Last year’s update to the Renault Trafic, Nissan NV300 and Fiat Professional Talento was not simply a tweak of the engine management, but a wholesale change beneath the bonnet. Yet, despite power rising to as much as 170hp, the vans now offer lower emissions, reduced fuel consumption and a cut in service and maintenance costs.

Large Van of the Year

WINNER: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

Presented to Andy Eccles at Mercedes-Benz.

While several players in the heavy van market have raised their game in the last 12 months, none has taken the sector further forward than Mercedes’ Sprinter. Front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, manual, automatic, high-powered fleet stalwart, Sprinter continues to offer a model to suit every application. Factor in a growing number of Mercedes PRO telematic and fleet management solutions and the Sprinter easily retains our Large Van award.

Pickup of the Year

WINNER: Ford Ranger

Presented to James Cooper at Ford.

We’ve always been big fans of Ford’s Ranger pickup. However, the previous generation of 2.2-litre engines failed to match the competition when it came to fuel efficiency. Last year’s move to Ford’s EcoBlue 2.0-litre engines, along with the option of a 10-speed automatic transmission, has moved the game on in terms of power delivery and more importantly at the fuel pumps.

Light Truck of the Year

WINNER: Isuzu Grafter

Presented to Lee Tansley at Isuzu Truck.

Isuzu’s forward-control light truck continues to grow in popularity. The 3.5-tonne Grafter provides impressive payload, with compact overall dimensions, making it ideal for urban use. With a downsized 1.9-litre engine and a manual or semi-automatic transmission, operating costs are also kept low.

Green Van of the Year

WINNER: Ford Transit Custom PHEV

Presented to Neil Wilson (head of fleet, Ford UK), by Sam Tester, of Admedia.

As we rush towards an electric future, Ford has taken a slightly different route to many of its competitors with the Transit Custom PHEV. Battery powered, but with a 1.0-litre petrol engine working as a range-extending generator, the PHEV offers zero-emission urban use without the range-anxiety of a full BEV.

Van of the Year

WINNER: Ford Transit Custom PHEV

Presented to James Cooper at Ford.

Our Van of the Year this year goes to Ford’s Transit Custom PHEV. Ford has managed to create an electric van without the concerns that many fleet managers may have about BEVs. It will happily run around the city centre in full electric mode, yet there are no concerns about range anxiety, thanks to that range-extending petrol engine.

Van Manufacturer of the Year

WINNER: Ford

Presented to Neil Wilson (head of fleet, Ford UK), by Stuart Russell, of Europcar.

In a rapidly changing market, Ford continues to maintain an iron grip on the UK LCV sector. Transit Custom remains by far the best-selling van in the UK. It’s about more than making a good van, however. 95% of the UK is no more than 45 minutes from a Transit Centre. All of those dealers have extended opening hours with late-night service appointments available to keep customers moving. Ford Mobile Service vans also bring service and maintenance to a fleet’s own premises. Providing reliable back-up is, for many operators, just as important as the in-cab experience.